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The second semester of the 2009-2010 school year is now underway. Thanks for your continued support of our students and staff.
The upcoming months will prove to be challenging for the district as we deal with continued financial issues brought on by the economic condition of the state of Michigan. I do not like having to share challenges that we are facing, but I think it is critical that you have knowledge on what is happening, because it will impact the programs and services that we will be able to offer to our students. |
The Board of Education, in conjunction with the administration, has been discussing how to best deal with the estimated $1 million dollar shortfall for the 2010-2011 school year. This problem has come about due to reductions of $165 per student during this current year, and a reported additional $265 reduction for next year. Along with these reductions, we will be experiencing increased costs in a variety of other areas. The net effect of these budgetary issues requires us to look at all programs, both academic and extracurricular. You can expect to see possible impact on personnel, transportation services, fees being charged for extracurricular programs, academic offerings, custodial services, methods of communication, class size, and the list goes on. The Board of Education and administration will do everything within its power to minimize the effects of reductions. It has always been our goal to keep focused on the education of our students and we will continue to do so.
Even as we face these challenges, it is incumbent upon us as a district to continue to move forward including the review of our facilities in light of the education needs of today. As you may recall, in November 2008 the Board of Education postponed any consideration of a facilities bond issue until a later time due to the economic downturn. This decision came about after a lengthy study by the community on the needs of the district. The Board has asked the administration to restart this process, knowing that it will take time to redefine our needs and the possible solutions. We have asked our architectural firm to step back and take a look at other, perhaps less costly options than we were first considering. They have begun work on this and are beginning to develop some interesting ideas. When appropriate, we will find ways of providing more information and getting community feedback.
If you are looking for an enjoyable evening out, the Lakeshore Excellence Foundation will be hosting their annual dinner on Saturday, February 27 at the Vineland Center. The evening is entitled “Bits, Bytes and the Best.” There will be presentations by several teachers who have been involved in the district’s 21st Century Classroom project. You will see how this technology is impacting the education of students and the teaching methods of teachers. The LEF is beginning a campaign to raise funds to outfit additional classrooms throughout the district with advanced technology. If you are interested in attending, please go to the Lakeshore Schools website at www.lakeshoreschools.k12.mi.us and click on the LEF link on the left side of the page. If you cannot attend the dinner, but would like to contribute to this project, please send your check to LEF at 5771 Cleveland Ave., Stevensville or go to the LEF website (www.l-e-f.org) for online giving.
We are seeing great things happening in our classrooms each day. To parents who care about their child’s learning in the classroom, who support their child in all their activities, and who support the teachers who work with them, we say “thank you.” Parent involvement is a key ingredient to success in school and in life. We continue as a district to stay focused on how to best serve each and every child and on how to move from “Good to Great.”
Sincerely,
Donald Frank
Superintendent
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